Slide fasteners



Jan. 5, 1965 T. M. WRIGHT 3163a906 SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Jan. 10, 1963INV EN TOR. 720011 01 01! Why/$2- Arrow 21c United States Patent Ofifice3,1633% Patented Jan. 5, "1965 3,163,906 SLIDE FASTENERS Theodore M.Wright, 934 Haddon Ave, Camden, NJ. Filed Jan. 10, 1963, Ser. No.250,610 3 Claims. (Cl. 24-20511) This invention relates to slidefasteners, and particularly to an improved end connection for suchfasteners and to the method of securing the same to the tapes whichcarry the interlocking teeth of the slide fasteners.

It is well known that most slide fasteners such as are used on garmentssuffer from the defect of tending to come apart at the top, especiallyunder the influence of sidewise pulling forces, unless some means areprovided for positively holding the teeth carrying tapes together at thenormally free ends of the fasteners. To keep the slide fasteners fromcoming apart unintentionally, the tapes thereof are conventionallyprovided with hand sewn hooks and eyes beyond the teeth racks. The hooksand eyes, when interlocked, serve to hold the tapes in closely adjacentjoined relation and thereby prevent the slide fasteners from openingunintentionally. However, hand sewn hooks and eyes are not onlyexpensive to apply because of the labor involved, but they frequentlycome loose from the tapes when the cotton threads which hold them on thetapes become torn, as often happens.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide, in slidefasteners of the type specified, an improved end connection thereforwhich will be free from the aforementioned and other disadvantages foundin known fasteners of this type.

More particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide, in slidefasteners of the mentioned type, improved hook and eye auxiliaryfasteners each element of which is a completely self contained, integralunit having its own securing means for attachment to a tape in aposition to act as an end connection therefor, and which does notrequire sewing to the tape by thread.

Another object of my invention is to provide, in slide fasteners of thetype under consideration, improved hook and eye auxiliary fasteners asaforesaid that will not only keep the slide fastener tapes fromseparating unintentionally, but which will also act as a positive stopfor the slide member of the slide fastener to limit the travel of theslide member along the teeth racks.

A further object of my invention is to provide, for slide fasteners asaforesaid, an improved hookand eye auxiliary fastener which can beattached securely to the tapes of the slide fasteners, which will notcome loose from the tapes even under the most extreme conditions of use,and which can be installed very economically by automatic machinery.

It is also an object of my invention to provide, in slide fasteners,improved combination stop and auxiliary locking elements or end closureswhich are simple in construction, which are easy to manufacture andaffix to the slide fastener tapes, and which are highly efiicient inuse.

In accordance with the present invention, I apply to each of the tapesof a slide fastener, at the opposed beaded edges thereof, one or theother of a pair of cooperating hook and eye elements made of relativelystifi wire. Each element is formed with a loop portion midway betweenits ends to provide, in one case an eye and in the other a cooperablehook. From each of the loop portions, there extend a pair of diverginglegs which preferably terminate in sharp points for easy penetrationthrough the cloth of which the tapes are customarily made. The legs ofeach eelment are given a first right angle bend into a plane normal tothe loop portion thereof, after which they are driven through the tapesat positions aligned transversely of the tapes and with the loops of therespective elements lying against preferably the outer or front surfacesof the respective tapes. The loops extend slightly beyond the beads ofthe tapes so as to clear the beads. The legs of each element are thenreversely bent back toward the loop thereof so as to lie firmly againstthe inner or rear surface of the associated tape. The legs are longenough to extend beyond the tape heads at this point. They are thengiven a second reverse bend to bring them firmly around the beads andagainst the outer surface of their respective tapes. The legs arefinally clinched against such outer surfaces in positions preferablysnugly along the portions of the legs adjacent to the loops. Thus, thehook and eye elements are secured firmly to the tapes by being clinchedthereto and without need for using thread or any other external securingmeans. By affixing the hook and eye fasteners to the tapes in properlocations just beyond the free ends of the teeth racks thereof, theyalso act as stop means for limiting travel of the slide member of theslide fastener beyond the teeth thereof.

The novel features. of the present invention, both as to itsorganization and manner of application, as well as additional objectsand advantages thereof, and also its method of operation, will be betterunderstood from the following description of one embodiment thereof,when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which FIGURE 1is a plan view of a length of wire from which either a hook element oran eye element can be formed according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan View showing the first step in the formation ofeither an eye element or a hook element from the wire of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view showing the next step in the formation of a hookelement,

FIGURES 4 to 7, inclusive, are sectional views taken transverselythrough tapes of a separable slide fastener and showing the varioussteps involved in the application of the hook and eye elements to thetapes in accordance with this invention, and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a completed, combined slide andhook-and-eye fastener according to this invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown, in FIGURE 1,a length of stiff wire 1, such as piano wire, for example, having itsends 3 preferably tapered to terminate in sharp points 5 for purposespresently to be set forth. 1 Such lengths of wire may be used forforming either an eye element 7 or a cooperable hook element 9 of a hookand eye fastener or connector 11. Such a connector 11 is affixed, inaccordance with the present invention, to the fabric tapes 13a and 13bof a slide fastener 15. The tapes of conventional slide fasteners areusually formed along their opposed, longitudinal edges with beads 17 towhich are secured cooperating racks of teeth 19. A slider 21 providedwith a pull tab 23 serves to effect interlocking of the teeth 19 when itis moved in one direction to thereby jointhe tapes 13a and 13b, or tounlock the teeth 19 when it is moved in the opposite direction tothereby permit separation of the tapes. Since slide fasteners of thistype are well known in the art, no further description thereof isbelieved to be necessary.

To insure maintaining the tapes joined when the slider 21 is moved in adirection to effect interlocking of the teeth 19 and thus prevent theslide fastener from opening unintentionally, the hook and eye elementsof the present invention are applied to the respective tapes in opposed,transversely aligned relation just beyond the free ends of the racks ofteeth. In this position, the hook and eye elements 9 and 7 can not onlybe coupled to prevent accidental or unintentional separation of thetapes, but they 1 25 and a pair of somewhat diverging legs 27 comprising7 an integral unit. If an eye element 7 is to beformed, the loop 25 isleft entirely open, as in FIGURE 2, to provide an eye 29. However, if ahook element 9 "is to be formed, the loop portion 25 is pinched toprovide a bill 31 (FIGURE 3) which, when substantially reversely bent,as shown in FIGURE 7, provides a hook 33 for cooperation with the eye29.

In either case, after the bend 25 is formed, the legs 27 are given aright angle bend 35. The bent legs of a pair of cooperable elements 7and ,9 are then driven clear through the respective tapes, preferablyfrom the outer or front surfaces thereof to well beyond the inner orrear surface thereof and afirst partbeyond said first bend lying snuglyagainst the opposite surface of said tape, said legs each also having asecond bend therein extending snugly around said bead and terminating ina terminal part beyond said second bend, each said terminal part lyingsnugly against said one surface of said tape and being clinched theretowhereby to securely aflix said fastener element firmly to said tape.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of said terminalparts are tapered, wherein said first named bend intermediate'the endsof said wire is at an angle such that said legs diverge from eachotherin a direction away from said loop, and wherein said terminal partsare disposed on said one tapeysurface adjacent-to said surfaces thereofand untilathe loop portions thereof lie firmly against the respectivetape outer surfaces in transversely aligned relation. The sharp points 5facilitate. penetration of the legs 27' through the fabric of the tapes.The legs 27 are then bent back toward their respective loops 25 toprovide first reverse bends 37 therein which extend through the tapebodies. The reversely bent leg parts, which then extend well beyondtheir respective beads 17 'as shown by the dotted lines in FIGURES 6 and7, are pressed firmly against the lower or inner. surfaces of therespective tapes. 0nd reverse bend 39 snugly around the respective beadsto provide terminal parts 41 which end in thetapered end portions 3 andwhich are clinched firmly to the outer surfaces of the tapes. Theterminal parts 41 are so disposed that the tapered end portions 3thereofsnugly abut the loop portions of the respective fastenerelements. Thus, the hook and eye fastenerelements 7 and'9 are firmly secured to theirrespective tapes 13b and 13a without the need for externalfastening means such asthreads, rivets,

or the like. It will be appreciated that each'element 7 and 9 is acompletely self contained, integral unitary element. By disposing thevarious tapered end portions 3 in snugly abutting relation with thesides-of their respective loop portions, abrupt ends of'the wires, onwhich threads, finger nails and the like might catch, are completelyavoided. 7

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent'that I haveprovided, for conventional slide fasteners, an improved auxiliary, hookand eye closure which is made of completely self-contained units, whichcan be formed easily and afiixed to the slide fastener tapes withfacility and firmness, and which can cooperate notonly to keep the tapesfrom separatingunintentionally after they are joined, but which willalso act as a stop for limiting travel of the slide fastener slider inthe fastener closing direc-.

tion, Although 'I have shown and described but a single embodiment of-my invention, itwill undoubtedly be apparent to those skilled in theartthat other forms and modifications thereof, as well as variations inthe method They are then formed with a secloop with said tapered ends inabutting relation to said loop. I

3'. In a slide fastener of the type including a pair of opposed tapeshaving corresponding front and rear surfaces, each of said tapes beingprovided with a longitudinal bead along an edge thereof, said tapesbeing arranged with their said beads in proximate relation,complementary interlocking teeth secured respectively to said tapesalong said beads, and a slider movable along said teeth to control theinterlocking of said teeth for uniting said tapes and the unlocking ofsaid teeth for separating said tapes depending on the direction ofmovement of said slider, the improvement comprising an auxiliary,separable fastener for retaining said teeth in interlocked relation whensaid slider has brought them into said last named relation,

said auxiliary fastener comprising cooperable hook and portion includinga part disposed against the front surface of a different one of saidtapes,'said loop portions overlapping and extending somewhat beyondtheir respective said beads in aligned relation transversely of saidtapes ment comprising a length of stiif wire having a substantiallyreverse bend therein intermediate its ends to provide a fastener loopand a pair of legs extending from said loop, said loop snugly overlyingsaid head against one surface of said tape and extending slightly beyondsaid bead laterally of said tape, said legs each having a first bendtherein extending through said tape from said one s loop portions.

for interlocking engagement thereof, said leg portionsof said lengths ofwire each having a first reverse bend extending through the associatedtape from said front surface thereof and a first part beyond said bendwhich lies firmly against the rear surface of its said tape, each saidleg also having a second bend therein'beyond its said first part, saidsecond bend extending around the associated said bead in snug engagementtherewith'and terminating in a terminal part beyond said second bendwhich ends in said pointed ends, each said terminal. part lying on andbeing clinched firmly against said front surface of the associated tapeto thereby securely attach said hook and eye elements to theirrespective said tapes, and said tapered ends of said wires'lyingalongside said loop portions with the tapers thereof snugly abuttingtheir respective said References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES VPATENTS 7 446,270 2/91 Spitz 24-.203. 755,411 3/04 Stricker 24229765,123 7/04 Evans 24. 203 1,591,145 7/26 Schmidtke l-82 2,07 9,673 5/37Allen 182 2,792,610 5/57 Erdmann 24205 .11 2,818,625 1/58 Sinderman24205.11 3,110,904 11/63 Feinstein 24205.11

FOREIGN PATENTS 7,503 4/05 Great Britain. 341,573 a 1/31 Great Braitain.898,772 6/62 Great Britain; 232,723 3/ 11 Germany.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

3. IN A SLIDE FASTENER OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSED TAPESHAVING CORRESPONDING FRONT AND REAR SURFACES, EACH OF SAID TAPES BEINGPROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL BEAD ALONG AN EDGE THEROF, SAID TAPES BEINGARRANGED WITH THEIR SAID BEADS IN PROXIMATE RELATION, COMPLEMENTARYINTERLOCKING TEETH SECURED RESPECTIVELY TO SAID TAPES ALONG SAID BEADS,AND A SLIDER MOVABLE ALONG SAID TEETH TO CONTROL THE INTERLOCKING OFSAID TETH FOR UNITING SAID TAPES AND THE UNLOCKING OF SAID TEETH FORSEPARATING SAID TAPES DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAIDSLIDER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN AUXILIARY, SEPARABLE FASTENER FORRETAINING SAID TEETH IN INTERLOCKED RELATION WHEN SAID SLIDER HASBROUGHT THEM INTO SAID LAST NAMED RELATION, SAID AUXILIARY FASTENERECOMPRISING COOPERABLE HOOK AND EYE ELEMENNTS EACH COMPRISING A LENGTH OFSTIFF WIRE HAVING TAPERED, POINTED ENDS AND A SUBSTANTIALLY REVERSE BENDINTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH THEREOF TO PROVIDE A LOOP PORTION AND LEGPORTIONS BEYOND SAID LOOP PORTION, EACH SAID LOOP PORTION INCLUDING APART DISPOSED AGAINST THE FRONT SURFACE OF A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAIDTAPES, SAID LOOP PORTIONS OVERLAPPING AND EXTENDING SOMEWHAT BEYONDTHEIR RESPECTIVE SAID BEADS IN ALIGNED RELATION TRANSVERSELY OF SAIDTAPES FOR INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT THEREOF, SAID LEG PORTIONS OF SAIDLENGTHS OF WIRE EACH HAVING A FIRST REVERSE BEND EXTENDING THROUGH THEASSOCIATED TAPE FROM SAID FRONT SURFACES THEREOF AND A FIRST PART BEYONDSAID BEND WHICH LIES FIRMLY AGANIST THE REAR SURFACE OF ITS SAID TAPE,EACH SAID LEG ALSO HAVING A SECOND BEND THEREIN BEYOND ITS SAID FIRSTPART, SAID SECOND BEND EXTENDING AROUND THE ASSOCIATED SAID BEAD IN SNUGENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND TERMINATING IN A TERMINAL PART BEYOND SAIDSECOND BEND WHICH ENDS IN SAID POINTED ENDS, EACH SAID TERMINAL PARTLYING ON AND BEING CLINCHED FIRMLY AGAINST SAID FRONT SURFACE OF THEASSOCIATED TAPE TO THEREBY SECURELY ATTACH SAID HOOK AND EYE ELEMENTS TOTHEIR RESPECTIVE SAID TAPES, AND SAID TAPERED ENDS OF SAID WIRES LYINGALONGSIDE SAID LOOP PORTIONS WITH THE TAPERS THEREOF SNUGLY ABUTTINGTHEIR RESPECTIVE SAID LOOP PORTIONS.